Eight famous (at least around the library) Reading Education Assistance Dogs, including Waverly, the Labrador-mix who was the model for the sculpture, were in attendance. R.E.A.D. dogs are registered therapy animals who volunteer at the library with their owners on Sunday afternoons (next one is May 6 at 2pm). The bench pays tribute to this program aimed at helping kids gain confidence in their reading skills.

“The library’s been encouraging literacy with the R.E.A.D. dogs program since 2007. We know it’s not always feasible to get to the library for the program, so this bench showcases the sharing of stories by putting kids in the moment. That’s the next best thing to reading to the actual therapy dogs,” said LeAnn Petrie, Youth Services supervisor.

“The child in the sculpture is a beginning reader and her face expresses the wonderment that young children have when sharing a story with a dog, their best friend who loyally listens to all of their stories,” said Steve Page, The Library Foundation Chair.

The bronze work was completed by artists at the Degginger Foundry and funded through a gift to The Library Foundation by Dr. Bob and Frankie Parman, of Topeka.  Dr. Parman is a Foundation trustee and his wife, Frankie, volunteers for The Library Foundation. Planning for the sculpture started in early 2011.

Customers can expect many more exciting developments in the Kids Library in the coming months. To make a gift to help transform the Kids Library into a place for learning and exploration, contact The Library Foundation at 785-580-4498.

The Library Foundation’s purpose is to help secure resources that support the collections, programs, services, technology and physical facilities of the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. The Foundation pursues this purpose by seeking philanthropic support, by providing conscientious stewardship of the assets in its care, by encouraging appropriate community partnerships, and by advocating on behalf of the library’s mission in our community.

We need more books than the library can afford to buy. Joining our Buy a Book Club replenishes our bookshelves and promotes self-directed learning in your community. Donate now.

Your membership makes a difference where it’s needed most. By believing in the value of a great public library, your gift allows the library to purchase new books to keep its offerings current, relevant and available to everyone.

Being a member is something you’ll be proud of – providing more best sellers, more books for children and more eBooks to download. Your gift of at least $35 will put a book in the hand of a child. Join the Buy a Book Club today.

Your gift to The Library Foundation benefits the entire community and helps the library grow the next generation of readers.

Now more than ever, our customers rely on the public library for more than just books. They come to the library for homework help, job hunting assistance and quality family time. Private gifts provide the level of resources necessary to ensure a quality library experience for everyone. Making an investment in your library is a critical part of supporting the library’s mission: Your place. Stories you want, information you need, connections you seek.

Thank you.

WHY INVEST IN THE LIBRARY

• We keep people connected to reading and learning throughout their lifetimes.
• We are committed to providing opportunities so that every child is ready to read by the time they start school.
• We provide transformational experiences for people of all ages and backgrounds.
• Our library is an important community partner.
• We help celebrate and preserve Topeka’s cultural and artistic heritage.
• We ensure that everyone has computer and Internet access at the library.

Call Gwen or Kathy for more information about The Library Foundation, a 501(c)(3)nonprofit organization. 785-580-4498

Jillian Underwood, library customer, had her first encounter with a computer at the library. She was 7 years old.

“I thought it was so cool. It was early ‘90s and people didn’t really have computers back then, so to come to the library and actually get to use one was a lot of fun,” Jillian said.

Not only did she learn how to use a computer at the library but she was also able to increase her reading comprehension skills by reading during the summers and checking out books at the library.

“My dad would make us read three books or more, depending on how old we were, every summer. I used to hate it, but it eventually paid off,” Jillian said. “I remember taking a reading test and being in the top two percentile, that’s when I realized that all that reading had paid off.”

Melissa Powell remembers getting her library card at 8 years old.

“We used to go to the library a lot when we were little. I remember my mom taking us to get our library card,” said Melissa. “I feel like I did grow with the library. I remember reading time and the little cave in the kids’ section where you could go and read.”

During her high school years Melissa used the library to find more sources for homework assigned to her. Today she uses the library as a resource for her babysitting job and to find sources for her college homework.

“I’ve also taken seminars that dealt with early childhood education, which helped me with my babysitting job,” said Melissa. “I’ve seen the changes that the library has made and it has changed for the better.”

We continue growing with you with our Red Carpet Services that provide materials to accommodate people with low vision and other special needs.

“I recently got my library card and I love it,” said Hilary Larson, library customer. “I am not from here, and I heard about the library through a friend. I’ve only had my card for a month, and I have already visited the library three times.”

With accessible computers for everyone, the library is the ideal place for students to do their homework. It is also the perfect way for people to find a job and for everyone to have a good time and enjoy everything that the library offers. The library gives you many reasons for affirming the value it adds to our community.

“I will definitely recommend the library to my friends. It has such variety and it has such a friendly staff,” said Larson.

Steve Page, Board Chair of The Library Foundation has been a library cardholder for over 45 years. Steve got his library card soon after he became a part-time employee at the library when he was teenager.

“I think that the library is a storehouse of knowledge. It provides interesting classes for everyone and great a geology center for those who want to find out more about their family. It is just the closest thing we have in Topeka to a true community center,” Steve added.

Our stewardship is based on close attention to your priorities. The library and The Library Foundation react swiftly to emerging trends and economic challenges. A top priority for the library is to have activities for people of all ages. One example is the Edge, which is dedicated to teens where they can play video games, do homework or just hang out with friends.

Our volunteer board of trustees helps raise funds and monitors both the Foundation’s investments and distributions.

With funds raised, we provide the best services that are needed by the community. Services such as AdventureMobile that take children into a learning adventure and bookmobile which makes it easier for citizens across the city to borrow books without having to drive to the library.

We also pay attention by having computer classes for those who need help from taming your mouse to creating a Facebook page, using social media and your iPad.

The library also knows how hard it is to find a job these days. That’s why donors helped launch the Jobs and Careers Neighborhood, where it’s easier than ever to learn about the different ways to find a job.

We make it easy for people to have access to technology, that is why we provide Internet and computer use for everyone. We also provide free printing for students using the Overson-Campbell Homework Center.

We are your library, we care and pay attention to your needs. To learn more on how you can help the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library contact Kathy Groesbeck at 580-4493 or Gwen Stanley at 580-4498 at The Library Foundation. You can also visit the donation’s page at https://donations.tscpl.org/.

We’re well into Kansas summer with its inescapable geographic beauty, so for week 26 of our Kansas sesquicentennial video series we’re honoring the memories of renowned Kansas landscape artist, Robert Sudlow (1920-2010) and one of his most devoted patrons and generous TSCPL benefactor, Horace Eubank (1918-2005).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCdNTgZZojQ

About 52 for 150

Every object has a story, and stories build history. To celebrate 150 years of Kansas statehood we’re featuring 52 objects (or collections of related objects)—something new each week throughout the year—from the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library’s 130-year-old special, and permanent collections, that represent our collective state history and cultural diversity.

Our collections are available for teachers, students, researchers and general interest, and we hope this online video program will provide insight into what’s so “special” about Special Collections. Your library’s commitment to collecting art and preserving local history makes it possible for users today and in the future to have immediate access to invaluable research material and cultural artifacts.

To make an appointment to see work by Robert Sudlow, call or stop by the Sabatini Gallery (785-580-4515). We’re located on your right just beyond the Library rotunda entrance.

As a child, John Mendoza remembers looking at the variety of books offered in the bookmobile parked outside Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. To this day the bookmobile still can be found outside the church. Onsite services make it very convenient for parents and children to check out books.

Years later, Mendoza joined the board of trustees for the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library.

“The idea that we were being creative, had a vision for the library, and for the future, was my favorite part about being involved,” Mendoza said.

He participated during the expansion of the library and the Great Expectations Campaign, which helped raise $4.2 million in 2002. He closely monitored the building process through meetings with the construction firm.

In 2005, he joined The Library Foundation Board of Trustees and helped raise funds for the library.
Mendoza’s vision was for the library to become a focal point of pride within the city. He noted creative partnerships such as the farmers market, which now takes place on Mondays from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

He said that a partnership with public schools and Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library would also be helpful for the community.
Mendoza said that it would be a benefit for the community if the library worked with city transit to make it easier for those who don’t have transportation.

“I remember as a child I would have to ride my bike to the library because that was the only form of transportation I had,” Mendoza said.

He recommends publicizing all the programs that the library offers in a way where citizens can see what their tax dollars and their donations are accomplishing. He emphasized that the library needs to publicize services that are being offered and to inform people why charitable gifts are needed.

“The library could become obsolete unless there are donations. At some point of time, inflation might overtake whatever money is there,” Mendoza said.

“I enjoyed my time at the library,” Mendoza said. “All we need is greater public awareness.”

Walking inside the library does not have the feeling it used to. Tiptoeing customers have been replaced with children playing games, teens surfing the web, families attending educational programs and adults browsing the numerous library books that cater to a variety of interests.

It has been 140 years since the Topeka and Shawnee County got its start. Since then, the library has played a huge role in Topeka’s community.

“Back in my day, we didn’t even go to the public library; we went to the school’s library. Topeka High’s library was great for its time,” said John Salisbury, former Library Foundation trustee.

Salisbury played a vital role when the Topeka and Shawnee Public Library was expanded and renovated. He became chairman of the Great Expectations campaign and helped identify, cultivate and solicit gifts from potential donors.

The process was not easy; The Library Foundation sought to raise $3.5 million in order to help the library fulfill its potential.

“We needed to be able to expand. We were laughed at when we announced we were building a café inside the library. Now it’s a great success,” said Salisbury. “This library is one of the most outstanding libraries in the country.”

Salisbury recalled that the campaign was a great success because of the support that the staff and volunteers provided.

Thanks to his leadership, The Library Foundation raised $4.2 million by the time the library reopened in 2002. Salisbury remembers his pride in helping the campaign be successful. He noted that it was also nice to be able to meet many new people who were interesting and enjoyable.

Salisbury has been an active member of the community, assisting organizations such as The Library Foundation and the Topeka Community Foundation.

Salisbury believes it is important to donate to the library because it is the only public library the community has. Private philanthropy has an important role to play. He noted that there are many school libraries, but with all the budget cuts, funding for schools, libraries and media centers is vulnerable.

“We need to continue to expand,” Salisbury concluded. “We are doing so many great things!”

A whole generation of youngsters is falling behind in reading. Could your child or grandchild be one of these kids? It may surprise you to hear that more than two-thirds of the nation’s fourth-graders are reading below proficiency level*, which
leads to poor grades in other subjects. Your public library plays a vital role in teaching children to read and to enjoy reading.